Things to know about Dental Cements
Dental procedures are complicated and far more advanced than before these days. Thanks to the awareness in dental hygiene, we as the younger generation are taking steps towards oral hygiene and dental well-being more seriously. One of the most common issues in adulthood and for teengers alike is teeth issues such as tooth decay, gingivitis and other problems. Most of us do not take dental hygiene seriously until the soul crushing pain of a decayed tooth hits us right in the feels. Now that's when we learn to take dental hygiene and regular dentist visits seriously. Moreover, dental implants, dental procedures and dental crowns sit quiet heavily on the pockets of us poor Gen Z who barely have the knowledge or the means to support themselves. Dental and Health Insurances are extremely handy and something that every youngster must look into as an investment option so as to keep them covered incase of a dental adversity or even to remind them to visit the dentist more regularly.
We are here to discuss the tooth fitment procedure - be it for temporary crowns or just plain cementing of teeth. Fitting a damaged tooth with a crown or scaling it down and then cementing it is a common practice. Sealing the tooth is done with something referred to as Dental Cement. This dental cement is often referred to as Temporary Dental Cement as it is placed on a damaged tooth to prevent it from further damage before reaching the pulp of the tooth. Temporary dental cement is ‘temporary’ in the sense that it is placed in place of a treated tooth before a crown is placed on top. It can even be used to seal the bridge between the original tooth and the temporary crown. The cement flows between the fabrication mould made to fit the patients missing tooth and the original tooth and hardens when it is set.
Components of Temporary Dental Cement
The Dental cement that dentists often used was made from a compound called Silicate Cement. Silicate cement is made from Fluoride, which comprises less than half of its composition. This cement has its own advantages and disadvantages. Silica cement was considered the best as it had the best teeth-coloured appearance and could blend in with the rest of the teeth. The fluorine present in it released fluoride ions that reacted with the rest of the teeth and protected the teeth from further attack by acids and eventual caries caused by the acids. The fluoride ions behaved like something that you see in toothpastes, which reduced the solubility of the enamel and therefore making it stronger to resist recurring caries, even with extremely damaged teeth.
The Silicate Cement powder is now replaced by better ingredients that are safer and easier to work with such as Zinc Phosphate, Zinc Oxide and eugenol mixture, Zinc Oxide mixed with polyacrylic powder and GIC’s (Glass Ionomer Cements). These new ingredients to make the temporary dental cement is safer as they do not cause any allergies or rashed and have a biologically safer composition. Some resin based cements may cause allergic reactions in patients and therefore the ingredients for temporary dental cement is an ever evolving space of research and development. Although resin based composites are biomaterials and are used in most dental procedures, it still is a studied matter. The composition of the temporary dental cement needs to be used and chosen wisely based on the requirement and the patients biological profile.
Functions of Temporary Dental Cement
- Bonding Provisional Restoration
The first and foremost function of temporary dental cement is to bond the original tooth with the fabricated provision such as inlays, crowns, implants and bridges created to bond the original teeth with these dental restorations.
- Cementing the gap
The temporary dental cement flows between the gap of the original structure and the temporary provision made by the dentist and bridges the gaps between the two. The cement hardens between the two and seals the gap in a manner that it can be removed and adjusted using a dental tool when the permanent provision is ready
- Studying the characteristics of the provision
The temporary dental cement helps in sealing the gaps and sets the temporary restoration up on the original structure and therefore helps the dentist in understanding how the permanent restoration with a permanent cement would behave in the patient's mouth.
Benefits of Temporary Dental Cements
- It is one of the easiest method to cement the gap between the original and the temporary crown made for the tooth
- The temporary dental cement is adequate to hold the restoration in place for as long as 2 to 3 weeks, even for day to day activity such as eating and drinking
- The temporary dental cement is not too hard to remove therefore making it perfect for the dentist to use for a limited period of time
- The cement comes in many different compositions with varying pros and cons and your dentist should be able to pick the one that is perfect for you
- It is safe and soft for the pulpal tissue and does not cause any harm to the soft tissues
- Can be cleaned easily while it is on and once it is off before making the permanent provision is fit inside the patient's mouth
- The temporary dental cement has a good shelf life as well and can be used for a long time without the worry of expiry or hardening of the product
- The temporary dental cement does not interfere with the permanent provision which is then laid by the dentist once the temporary provision is removed.
conclusion
These are the many uses of Temporary dental cement in the field of dentistry. The subject of composition and the various uses of temporary dental cement is being continually researched and developed by scientists and dentists. The dental cement, be it permanent or temporary, finds great use and benefit in dental restorations and for fixing tooth abnormalities for patients worldwide as a safe and effective means.
